FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT SHANE MATTHEWS - PAGE 2

JACKSONVILLE -- For so many Florida teams and players down through the decades, the Gator Bowl has been the graveyard of their hopes and dreams. For quarterback Shane Matthews, the stadium along the St. Johns River is where his college career was given life. When he says he loves the Gator Bowl, he means it. His memories here are all wonderful. It began with the 1990 Florida spring game, which was moved to the Gator Bowl while a new grass surface was being put in place a Florida Field.

GAINESVILLE -- After maintaining their health throughout a rigorous preseason and a Southeastern Conference brawl at Alabama, the Florida Gators have been hit with their first major injury of the season. Sophomore wide receiver Tre Everett, one of the fastest players on the team and UF`s most productive wideout, fractured a rib in last week`s victory over Furman and is out for three to six weeks. Everett was injured in the first quarter when he was leveled by safety Taylor Quarles while reaching for a pass over the middle.

GAINESVILLE -- Everyone at Florida has a favorite team to hate. For most of the players it`s Florida State. For others, it`s Auburn or Georgia. For one, it`s Mississippi State. Gator quarterback Shane Matthews` parents are Ole Miss graduates and he grew up in Pascagoula, Miss., a diehard Rebel fan. So, he has a natural dislike for the Bulldogs. "I hated Mississippi State when I was growing up," said Matthews, who goes up against the Bulldogs Saturday in Orlando. "I`ve just always had bad feelings for them.

GAINESVILLE -- Steve Spurrier`s post-game locker room demeanor is ususally cordial and uplifting. He pats some players on the back and offers quiet, constructive criticism to others. But after Saturday`s lackluster 41-10 victory against Northern Illinois, Spurrier ranted and raved and left no doubt that he was embarrassed and angered by the Gators` performance. He spared no one, including quarterback Shane Matthews. "Coach Spurrier came through here screaming like he never has before," senior defensive tackle Tony McCoy said.

GAINESVILLE -- Florida quarterback Shane Matthews showed up for Friday`s practice in sweats and said he doesn`t know why everyone is so concerned about his high blood pressure. "It`s no big deal. I`ve had it for 10 or 11 years. This feels just like any other day," Matthews said. "I`ve been on medication for the last three years, so this is nothing new to me." Matthews underwent tests at Shands Hospital Wednesday and Friday so team doctors could determine the cause of his high blood pressure.

GAINESVILLE -- Florida quarterback Shane Matthews limped through Monday night`s practice, but coach Steve Spurrier said he should be 100 percent for Saturday`s game against sixth-ranked Georgia. Matthews sustained a deep thigh bruise on his right leg in the fourth quarter of Saturday`s 31-17 victory over Louisville. After the injury, he had problems setting up to throw. Monday night, Matthews seemed to have no trouble throwing. "He`s probably going to be limping around for another day or so, but he`s going to be fine," Spurrier said.

GAINESVILLE -- Former University of Florida quarterback Shane Matthews, surprised that teams passed over him in the NFL draft, signed a free-agent contract with the Chicago Bears on Tuesday. Optimism quickly supplanted his draft disappointment. "Immediately after the draft was over, my phone rang," said Matthews, whose arm strength was questioned by scouts and draft analysts. "It wasn`t but a minute or two after the last pick that Ron Turner (Bears` offensive coordinator) called me. He was just talking to me about seeing me play in college, and he liked what I had done.

GAINESVILLE -- The tight end, a missing person in Florida`s offensive scheme of 1991, reappeared in the Gators` first scrimmage. Redshirt freshman Jeremy Kennedy caught six passes for 87 yards and junior Greg Keller, projected as the starter after redshirting last season with a dislocated elbow, added three receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown. Kennedy, 6 feet 4 and 225 pounds, said he has increased his squat lift from 315 pounds to 550. "I hope to push for as much playing time as I can," Kennedy said.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Earlier in the season, when the offense was sputtering and players seemed lost on the field, coach Steve Spurrier kept patting backs and urging patience. The offense would eventually come, he assured. "Coach kept saying don`t worry about a thing. He said after the sixth game, the offense would start to jell," quarterback Shane Matthews said. "And that`s exactly what`s happened. The offense has really come on. We`re all playing with confidence." In the past three victories, over Auburn, Georgia and Kentucky, the Gators have been virtually unstoppable.

GAINESVILLE -- The Florida Gators may be without their starting running backs when they face Mississippi State in a critical Southeastern Conference game Thursday night in Starkville, Miss. Tailback Errict Rhett and fullback Kelvin Randolph continue to be hobbled by sprained ankles and have not been able to practice. "We`ll just have to wait and see about Errict Rhett. There`s nothing definite yet," UF coach Steve Spurrier said Sunday. "Hopefully, he`ll be ready to go by Tuesday. But right now, we just don`t know.